Angel Island is the second largest island in the San Francisco Bay. It was used as a military base and then as an Immigration processing station, also known as Ellis Island of the West. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark and then became a California State Park.
At Angel Island you will have a beautiful view of the San Francisco skyline. With its proximity to San Francisco and transportation options, you can easily make a day trip to the island, although many people also camp on the island.
My friends and I made a spontaneous decision to hike on Angel Island when we saw how beautiful it was that weekend.
Getting to Angel Island
The Blue & Gold Fleet is the public ferry you would take to get to Angel Island. It offers daily departures and leaves from the Ferry Building or Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf and drops you off at Pier 39 from Angel Island. For some reason it does not go to the Ferry Building on the way back so be prepared for additional travel time back.
To purchase a ticket you can
1) buy online and print out or bring the confirmation on your phone
2) buy it on the ferry
It is first come first served. We went on a Sunday and it didn’t seem too busy. If you want to be safe you can always buy a ticket in advance. Tickets are about $20 round trip.
At the Ferry Building there is a designated area to board the ferry to Angel Island by Slanted Door. You can always ask around to find the boarding area.
Ferry Ride
Part of the fun of going to Angel Island is the ferry ride itself. We went to the top deck upstairs and had a blast!
Angel Island!
After the short but stunning ferry ride we were dropped off at Angel Island. At the dock you will find lots of park rangers who are super friendly so ask all the questions you want! There is a small visitor center where you can buy postcards and donate for a map of the island. You can also ask the ranger about hiking trails or tours on the island.
Next to the visitor’s center there is a bathroom, a cafe/store and a bar. The small island feel reminded me of Catalina Island in southern California but on a much smaller scale.
For our day trip we chose to hike, but there are tram and Segway tours available for those who prefer not to hike.
After the hike you can kick back at the cafe/bar by the dock and enjoy a cold beer or other refreshment before heading back on the ferry.
Trip success!
Hello, awesome read. I really loved your post. I’m a massive fan of fishing. It is super cool. Thank you mate.
Thank you for your support!